Wednesday, July 22

The past few days have been pretty weird. The next few aren't looking much different. Work has been kicking my ass quite a bit of late. With the high humidity (for AZ) that has been around for the monsoon season, and the fact our parts warehouse is not air conditioned, has lead to me having two hour sweat sessions, which just really wipe me out. By the time I get home in the evenings, I just want to sit somewhere with the A/C on full, and mellow out until I fall asleep. Most nights, that doesn't take long. I am just feeling so worn out.

Next week I get the spend a couple days getting the two older boys registered for school. The Oldest Son has his on Tuesday morning, and due to also having band camp that week, they get to go first thing in the morning. Makes it nice for me, as I usually do not end up missing any work time. How ever, the Middle Son, I had to take Wednesday off of work. He is in Jr. High, but why would they do their registration from 4pm-7pm? The Wife said she would not be able to get off early that day, so I ended up using one of my last two days of vacation. I have one day left, and knowing me, I probably will just lose it. I have a month to use it, but have to plan the days off so far ahead of time so someone can do my job, it is going to be hard to take it. Use it or lose it ... but not much choice at this time. Come the end of August I get two weeks vacation, and here this past year, I had a hard time using just 1 week....

School registrations.... Oh, and I need to get the Oldest in to get his senior portraits done. Never realized that they charge for a sitting fee, then also for the proofs, then also for the actual photos. Freaking expensive. I'm sure we will get literature later in the year for the class ring as well. I am sure they are more expensive than when I went to school.

Well, I suppose I should get the morning started and get ready for work.

Wednesday, July 15

Oh man, am I feeling a bit whooped. Sunday night found me back home from a four-day whirlwind of traveling and visiting with family/friends back in the Midwest. Straight back into work on Monday morning, and now it is Wednesday, and I am feeling worn out already.

The trip started off on a bad note. I had arrived at the airport about 4 hours early for my flight as it was the easiest ride I could get to there. About an hour before the flight was to depart, it got delayed for 6 hours. Needless to say, that cut into some of the time I had allotted to visit some family in Indianapolis. Friday got on the rode a bit later than I meant to do, but the drive up to Wakarusa to see Grandma & Grandpa was good. They were surprised, not knowing I would be there. The Daughter and SIL made it in Saturday morning. The family get together went well. My buddy from MI came down and we had supper followed with a couple hours of tale swapping. Monday drove down to Frankfort, had lunch with my lil Sissy, stepmom and nephew. The Daughter and SIL followed back to Indy to an Uncle's house, then I had to go to the airport. Missed seeing some I wanted to see, but already talking about another trip possibly next year.

It was a bit depressing to see G&G this year. I know it has been 5 years since my last visit, and in that time they both have gotten older, had bad illnesses/falls. Gramps has a bad cough from pneumonia that he will have to his grave per the doctor. Grams is blind in one eye, and though has gained more mobility, still has problems with some joints/bones from a bad fall she had. Both are slowly losing some of their previous acute mental acuity. Noticed some name mistakes, much pausing in speech to "recollect the thought" and even some going off on a tangent to the convo. But being in their later 80s, it makes sense. Just don't like to think of them getting to the passing away stage of life.

While driving, had hit a few light rain mists, but never hit any rain. Indy got some while I was up north, so missed it all. Come home to possible storms here in Phoenix, but nothing as of yet. The monsoon humidity is up though, and I have been sweating buckets for the past couple of weeks. My biggest worry is if I am drinking enough water to help stay hydrated. Been getting some small muscle cramps every now and then, and I know that is a sign to drink more water.

Tuesday, July 7

Only two more days of work for me this week. Than a four day weekend, that will feel non-restive with all the rushing around I feel I will be doing. I sat down last night, to try to create an itinerary, get the reservations completed, etc. I wore myself out. The only part of the day(s) I will get any relaxation, is when I am driving somewhere, or I am sleeping. On the good part though, it will be good to see what family and friends I have in the short time I am back there.

Car. That's the one reservation I need to get done yet. Got to remember to do it tonight.

That's about all I have this morning. Thoughts are buzzing in and out the head this morning, along with what-ifs and other worries. Can't seem to keep a solid train of thought moving.

Sunday, July 5

There is nothing better than a post written when one is half drunk.Well, to be honest, probably more than half ... But wait, I just woke up, so it has to be less, right?

Oh well. It is Sunday morning, and here we are. You, that bored, and myself, in need of more stimulating than the snores of the Mrs. Funny how neither of us win.

It's time I said something... about the "Rebel Flag".

WTF? Seriously? This is a symbol of racism and slavery? Huh?!? It held down people down, and chained them? It was a KKK symbol? If I were to wave it in the face of some random negro, they would be all of a sudden submissive and do what I tell them? Good nigger ....

OMFG. What is it with the general public today? All this because of a picture, of some stupid ass mofo that wanted to tr to cause some racial war? America has stooped this low ..... It embarrasses me.

Corporations are taking product (American-made product) off the shelves in fear of retaliation from consumers, if it contains the dreaded, "Confederate flag". The old 'DUKES OF HAZZARD' television show has been removed from the air, and all marketing (merchandising) has been discontinued. This banner that has been sold for over the last 150 years, is now not allowed on sites such as Ebay, Amazon, and god only knows how many others, that cave to the demands of an outraged, dumb society.

Am I for slavery? No. Do I think this symbol is all about slavery, and the merest sight of it should bring everyone into a social out-roar about slavery? No. In my 43 years of life, have I ever...have I EVER .... thought that when viewing this banner, this flag of Dixie, this battle standard flown in the war between the states, would make me want to own slaves, and be the cause of misery and ruin for any negro alive today? No. Is there any negro alive today, that can attest to, and relive in memory, being a slave? I don't think so.

Wikipedia (our God-trusted source of all things ....pshaw) says this:

Designed by William Porcher Miles, the chairman of the Flag and Seal committee, a now-popular variant of the Confederate flag was rejected as the national flag in 1861. It was instead adopted as a battle flag by the Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee.[31] Despite never having historically represented the CSA as a country nor officially recognized as one of the national flags, it is commonly referred to as "the Confederate Flag" and has become a widely recognized symbol of the American south.[32] It is also known as the rebel flag, Dixie flag, and Southern cross and is often incorrectly referred to as the "Stars and Bars".[33] (The actual "Stars and Bars" is the first national flag, which used an entirely different design.) The self-declared Confederate exclave of Town Line, New York, lacking a genuine Confederate flag, flew a version of this flag prior to its 1946 vote to ceremonially rejoin the Union.

So why is this still an issue? What is our government doing, hiding behind this social outrage? Has another Benghazi happened? Sheep... I am so tired of the sheep ....PeacE

Thursday, July 2

Well, not *IT*, that would have been easy... No, it's a little more than just sex.

The Wife is making me fly back to Indiana. Making me? Yeah. Pretty much. The Daughter and SIL were wanting to fly back this next week, seeing how my Dad's side of the family are doing a get-together. This way she could "introduce" the SIL to the family (he has not had the opportunity to meet much of my family). Talk had been a few weeks ago, about the possibility of me going with them, since I knew the locations of everyone, places to be, etc. I had turned it down at that time, due to not being able to plan out days off from work, and finances.

Last week, the Wife brought it up.At bedtime. After I had had a few drinks. She pretty much scolded me for not wanting to go back, and did her best to guilt-trip me (doesn't work much anymore) about how I should go see my grandparents BEFORE they pass away. Bottom line is I am going. Fly out next week for 4 days, before returning home. The Daughter and SIL are going as well, but their trip is overlapping the days that I am going. We will see each other a couple of the days.

So I am excited to go. Not thrilled, as I know our finances are taking a little hit to do this trip. Especially after just getting my new car about a month ago. The Wife says we can manage the hit. Too late now to do anything but go since I purchased the flight already.

Looking forward to seeing some family I haven't seen in at least 5 years.